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Colla-BEER-ating

It’s no secret that I like beer. And I like toy photography. So, when a chance meeting at my local bar led to the offer to collaborate with a craft beer reviewer and photographer, of course I jumped at the opportunity!

The Undertones

Let me explain. One day I was at my local bar “Big Ears” sample one of their many fine craft beers. Sitting at the bar, drinking a particularly fine sour ale, I struck up a conversation with a fellow beer nerd, Tommy. We shared tales and Instagram links.

Tommy is a craft beer reviewer and photographer. After that meeting we’ve chatted online about beers. Then one day, Tommy messaged me about photographing toys with a beer. A beer with Star Wars themed can art! Beer. Star Wars. Toy photography. And the chance to collaborate with another photographer. Or as I’ve dubbed it, “colla-BEER-ate”! How could I say no?

The Body

So, we met at Big Ears with our gear, drank a beer and chatted about the photo shoot. Tommy explained what he has hoping to achieve with the photos and how including a Storm Trooper would add to the story he wanted to tell. A photo telling a story? Where have I heard that before?

colla-BEER-ation BTS

As Tommy positioned the can, set up his camera, took a few test shots, adjusted the can, adjusted the camera setting, added a bounce card, took some more test shots, it became immediately apparent that what he was doing was just what I did. Tommy with beer, me with toys. OK, posing the beer can by simply rotating it a smidge took less time than it me to get the Revoltech Storm Trooper’s pose right. But we were both adjusting the posing of our subject matter.

colla-BEER-ation BTS

The notion that Tommy wanted the photos to tell a story is something I hadn’t considered with beer photography. But as he elaborated, it sounded like me explaining the thinking behind a toy photo. Tommy with beer, me with toys.

The Finish

Photographing toys with others is always fun. Collaborating on a photo with another toy photographer is even more of a hoot. Collaborating with a beer photographer is a blast. I learned some new tricks, passed on a few, and discovered that what we each do is pretty similar. Tommy with beer, me with toys.

For those wondering what the Dainton Supertrooper Imperial NEIPA is like, it’s a big, thick, juicy, hoppy, beast. At 10% ABV and 71 IBU it packs more punch than that farm boy and his cool light sword! Or you could check out Tommy’s post, and read a proper beer review, and give it some Toy Photographers love!

Cheers Tommy for the chance to colla-BEER-ate with you on this photo shoot. And a huge cheers Ainsley and Big Ears for letting us take over the tables with camera gear, toys, and beer.

– Brett

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